Summer of Sora
Summer of Sora is the DPS summer reading program to encourage students to enjoy our digital library of over 42,000 eBooks and audiobooks all summer long. Beginning June 6th and for ten weeks ending August 12th, every Sora eBook or audiobook checkout is a chance for students to win prizes. Every week 10 students will win an Under Armour sackpack and book, for a total of 100 WINNERS! And three grand prize winners will receive Kindle e-readers! Watch the Summer of Sora video for more information and a tutorial on how to log in to the free Sora app and website. Questions? Contact the Library Help Desk at libraryhelpdesk@dpsk12.org.
Middle School Summer BINGO
Tag us @DPSReads on Instagram when you have a bingo!
Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee
Pahua, a lonely Hmong girl, discovers she's a powerful shaman warrior when trying to rescue her brother's soul from the spirit world. This adventures is inspired by Southeast Asian mythology.
For fans of mythology, Riordan's Percy Jackson, and Rick Riordan presents series.
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling
While using a public library computer to find help for her mother who is addicted to pain medicine, Jolene witnesses a friend's livestreamed crash-landing in the Arizona desert and embarks on a journey to rescue her.
For fans of survival stories, Tarshis's I Survived series, and Girls Survive series.
Northwind by Gary Paulsen
When sickness decimates his fishing village, an orphan named Leif flees north in a cedar canoe, journeying along a brutal but beautiful coastline. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to "the heartbeat of the ocean and the pulse of the sea."
For fans of survival stories and Tarshis's I Survived series.
The Stolen Slippers by Melissa De la Cruz
Sequel to the Thirteenth Fairy. Filomena & her friends set out to help Gretel fulfill a promise to her father to recover a glass slipper he made. The friends will have to infiltrate the castle - & avoid being eaten by monsters.
Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna
audiobook (also in ebook format)
Indian folklore meets fantasy adventure in this captivating story. Kiki Kallira must battle against her fear and anxiety to save two worlds—the real and imagined—from the wrath of an ancient deity bent on total destruction.
For fans of mythology, fantasy, and Rick Riordan.
Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by Ibi Aanu Zoboi
A biography in verse and prose of science fiction visionary Octavia Butler. Butler experienced an American childhood that shaped her into the groundbreaking science-fiction storyteller whose novels continue to challenge and delight readers.
For fans of novels in verse, biographies, and science fiction.
Crazy Horse and Custer: Born Enemies by S. D. Nelson
In this action-packed double biography, S. D. Nelson draws fascinating parallels between Crazy Horse and Custer, whose lives were intertwined. The two men's opposing destinies culminated in the infamous Battle of the Greasy Grass, as the Lakota called it, or the Battle of the Little Bighorn, as it was called by the Euro-Americans.
For fans of biographies, history, and narrative nonfiction.
African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History by Tracey Baptiste
Through portraits of ten historical figures - from Menes, the first ruler to be called Pharaoh, to Queen Idia, a sixteenth-century power broker, visionary, and diplomat - African Icons takes readers on a journey across Africa to meet some of the great leaders and thinkers whose ideas built a continent and shaped our world.
For fans of biographies, world history, and the Vashti Harrison's Little series.
The Complete Cookbook for Teen Chefs by America's Test Kitchen Kids
America's Test Kitchen Kids is bringing their rigorous testing, kitchen knowhow, and hands-on learning to teenagers in the kitchen.
Oodles of Doodles by Suzanne McNeill
Advice for doodling with pencils, pens, gel pens, paint pens, markers, and more. Use a template to build your confidence in your freehand skills, or enhance your doodles by adding dimensional accents and flights of fancy.
Hand Lettering for Beginners by Sarah Ensign
This book takes the reader through different hand lettering styles such as faux calligraphy, brush pen lettering, and creating basic font styles such as monoline, elegant, and brush pen scripts.
Solimar: the Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Munoz Ryan
Before her Quinceanera & official coronation, Solimar visits the oyamel forest to sit among the monarch butterflies. After a magical frenzy, she realizes she's been given a gift & a burden: she can predict the near future! Can this princess-to-be save her family, the kingdom & the future of the monarch butterflies from a greedy and dangerous king?
For fans of magic, Mexico, and Ryan's Esperanza Rising.
The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. One day an orphan goes missing. At the Mayor's suggestion, all eyes turn to the Ogress. How can the Orphans tell the story of the Ogress's goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbors see the real villain in their midst?
For fans of graphic novels and fairy tales.
The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories about Mythic Heroes
Rick Riordan presents 10 new stories about beloved heroes that sprang from the imaginations of some of the best middle grade authors working today. All but one of the heroes previously starred in a popular book from Rick Riordan Presents.
For fans of mythology, fantasy, and Rick Riordan presents series.
Long Distance by Whitney Gardner
To help Vega settle into her new life in Seattle, her parents send her off to summer camp to make new friends. Except Vega is determined to get her old life back. But when her cellphone unexpectedly calls it quits and things at camp start getting stranger and stranger, Vega has no choice but to team up with her bunkmates to figure out what's going on!
For fans of science fiction, Graley's Glitch, and Brooks' Sanity and Tallulah series.
Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu
Zuli is extraordinary, she just doesn't realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she's never ventured beyond this safe haven. Until now. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could've ever imagined and one that will bring her face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen - and her true identity.
For fans of fantasy, Kibuishi's Amulet, and Sutherland's Wings of Fire series.
Tidesong by Wendy Xu
Sophie, a young witch, is sent to live with her relatives to improve her magic, but when a spell she tries goes wrong, she meets a water dragon trapped on land who can't remember where he came from and Sophie must decide if she is going to help him, at the risk of failing her magic exams.
For fans of fantasy, magic, and O'Neill's Tea Dragon Society.
Lena and the Burning of Greenwood by Nikki Shannon Smith
ebook | Read-along ebook | series
Lena lives a comfortable life in the segregated but relatively wealthy Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But on May 31, 1921, racial tensions explode. Men from Tulsa invade Greenwood, set on killing & destroying the district. As the violence escalates, Lena, her parents & older sister search for a safe place to hide.
For fans of survival stories, Dear America series, and Tarshis's I Survived series.
How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino
Copper must confront inevitable & enormous change after the death of his father. In between episodes of Copper's emerging story, his uncle writes to him in a journal, sharing knowledge & offering advice on life's big questions as Copper begins to encounter them. Over the course of the story, Copper, like his namesake Copernicus, looks to the stars & uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth & human nature to answer the question of how he will live.
For fans of world history, diaries, and Japan.
Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos
This stunning wordless graphic novel follows a young girl in the 1960s who immigrates from Cuba to the United States and must redefine what home means to her. Nothing about Marisol's new life in cold, gray Brooklyn feels like home--not the language, school, or even her foster parents. But Marisol starts to realize that home isn't always a place. And finding her way can be as simple as staying true to herself.
For fans of graphic novels and Warga's Other Words for Home.
The Visitors by Greg Howard
A lonely twelve-year-old boy spends his days "stuck" at the deserted Hollow Pines Plantation in Georgetown, South Carolina with no recollection of his name, how long he's been there, and no idea how to leave. Things never change much for the lost souls at Hollow Pines and time is strange when you're dead. With a malevolent spirit lurking in the shadows and painful memories buried deep, and for good reason, the boy wonders if he'll ever find his way home or be stuck at Hollow Pines forever.
For fans of ghost stories and R.L. Stine.
Twisted: The Other by Mara Wil
Alex Anderson is ordinary. His world is thrown into chaos when his great-grandmother starts referring to him as "David." What's most peculiar is how insistent she is that this is his name. At first, Alex dismisses it as another example of her growing dementia. Then, while rummaging through the attic, he comes across a photo album of him he's never seen before. Then he discovers the photographs were taken three years before he was born.
For fans of paranormal and thrillers.
They Stole Our Hearts by Daniel Kraus
Sequel to They Threw Us Away. Forced to watch one of their own being destroyed, the remaining teddies, who are thrust back into a world that doesn't want them, decide to return to the place they were created to finally learn why they were thrown away. Disturbing and brilliant.
For fans of fantasy, Cathon's Freddy's series, and Godwin's The Doll People.
The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula
Holly-Mei Jones couldn't be more excited about moving to Hong Kong for her mother's job. Her new school is right on the beach and her family's apartment is beyond beautiful. Everything is going to be perfect . . . right? It will take all of Holly-Mei's determination and sparkle (and maybe even a tiny bit of stubbornness) to get through seventh grade and turn her life in Hong Kong into the ultimate adventure!
For fans of Hong Kong, adventure, and middle school.
Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
After a disastrous field day competition at school, Greg decides that when it comes to his athletic career, he's officially retired. But after his mom urges him to give sports one more chance, he reluctantly agrees to sign up for basketball. As Greg and his new teammates start the season, their chances of winning even a single game look slim. But in sports, anything can happen. When everything is on the line and the ball is in Greg's hands, will he rise to the occasion? Or will he blow his big shot?
For fans of Peirce's Big Nate series, Patterson's Middle School series, and Pichon's Tom Gates.
How to Train Your Dad by Gary Paulsen
Carl is fed up with his father's single-minded pursuit of an off-the-grid existence. His dad may be brilliant, but dumpster-diving for food, scouring through trash for salvageable junk & wearing clothes fully sourced from garage sales is getting old. Increasingly worried about what schoolmates & a certain girl at his new school might think of his circumstances, Carl adopts the principles set forth in a puppy-training pamphlet to "retrain" his dad's mindset, producing unintentional results.
For fans of Gary Paulsen and green living.
Aquà era el paraÃso/Here Was Paradise por Humberto Ak'abal
Para los fanáticos de poesÃa y Latinoamérica.
Sobrevivà el naufragio del Titanic, 1912 por Lauren Tarshis
Para los fanáticos de novelas gráficas , historias de sobrevivir, y ficción histórica.
La pirámide roja por Rick Riordan
Para los fanáticos de mitologÃa y Percy Jackson por Rick Riordan.
Katsuki Bakugo Rising by Kohei Horikoshi
Tomura Shigaraki has finally awakened. As he begins to unleash his savage powers, the heroes realize it's going to take everyone & everything they have to stop him. Meanwhile, the massive villain Gigantomachia rampages toward Jaku City, and it seems nothing can stop him--but the students of U.A. are determined to succeed or die trying.
For fans of heroes and One Punch Man series.
Bounce Back by Rokkusu Misako
Lilico, with the help of her cat, must learn to adjust to a new country, a new school, and new pressures in this middle grade manga inspired novel. How do you find your team and find yourself? Manga inspired graphic novel.
For fans of realistic fiction, basketball, and cats.
Haikyu!! 45, Challengers by Haruichi Furudate
Haikyu!! Volume 45. All the players on the court give everything they've got to the game. The Black Jackals vs. Adlers match finally comes to a conclusion! Can Hinata dig one of Ushijima's nastiest spikes? What of his competition with Kageyama?! This monumental masterpiece of a volleyball manga comes thundering to a close.
For fans of volleyball and sports.
Kingston and the Echoes of Magic by G. P. Putnam
Sequel to Kingston and Magician's Lost and Found. When his magician father's old rival, Maestro, finds a way to overwrite reality with an alternate timeline in which he rules over all, Kingston, Too Tall, and V must find a way into the Realm and travel back through time to stop Maestro and save Brooklyn before it is erased for good.
For fans of fantasy, magic, and time travel.
Bear Bottom by Stuart Gibbs
FunJungle, Book 7. While visiting a ranch near Yellowstone National Park with his parents, Summer, and her parents, Teddy Fitzroy investigates the disappearances of bison and an irreplaceable necklace. With over a dozen suspects, it's up to Teddy to detangle this hairy situation, before his family or friends--or any more expensive objects--become dinner.
For fans of humor, detectives, and animal stories.
Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
Small Spaces, Book 3. Stuck on a mysterious island, Ollie, Coco, and Brian must band to together if they hope to escape the creature that haunts them on both land and sea. Empty Smiles, Book 4 is scheduled for release on August 9, 2022.
For fans of supernatural, Hermon's Hide and Seeker, and Brown's The Forgotten Girl.
Threads of Peace: How Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World by Uma Krishnaswami
ebook | audiobook (available 12/31)
Mohandas Gandhi & Martin Luther King Jr. both changed the world in their quest for peace, but what connected these great activists in their shared goal? Threads of Peace examines & celebrates these extraordinary lives, the threads that connect them & the threads of peace they laid throughout the world, for us to pick up.
For fans of biographies, world history, and narrative nonfiction.
Black Hole Chasers: The Amazing True Story of an Astronomical Breakthrough by Anna Crowley Redding
In Black Hole Chasers, award-winning investigative journalist Anna Crowley Redding presents the riveting true story of one of the most inspiring scientific breakthroughs of our lifetime--the Event Horizon Telescope team's reveal of the first image of a super massive black hole.
For fans of astronomy, narrative nonfiction, and space.
Fashionopolis: The Secrets Behind the Clothes We Wear by Dana Thomas
The fabrics clothes are made of, the way they are designed, sewn & shipped around the world, the way we consume them & get rid of them have big impact on our environment, the people who work in clothing factories, & our cultures. This nonfiction book shows us how the clothes we wear--and throw away--every day are made, & what that means for our planet.
For fans of fashion, sustainability, and the environment.
Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac
When the COVID-19 pandemic starts, Malian, a young Wabanaki girl, is quarantined with her grandparents on the reservation; She befriends a local dog & learns about her ancestors & how they survive together.
For fans of realistic fiction, survival stories, and Smith's Ancestor Approved.
D-39 by Irene Latham
A robodog, D-39, and his human friends discover challenges, danger, and the strength to persevere in this war and survival dystopian novel in verse about friendship and family.
For fans of dystopian, science fiction, and Tarshis's I Survived series.
Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi
When her father is accused of a crime he didn't commit, seventh grader Aafiyah, a Pakistani American girl who has a habit of "borrowing" glittery things, decides to use her bad habit to reunite her family.
For fans of Clean Getaway, The Thing About Jellyfish, and realistic fiction
Defending Champ by Mike Lupica
When the girls soccer team learns it has been canceled due to budget cuts, they come up with a plan to raise the necessary funds through a face-off with the boys' team, which is led by sneering superstar Chase Gwinn.
For fans of soccer and Mike Lupica.
Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow
Future stepsisters, Dalia and Alexa, embark on a road trip and when Alexa reveals that her girlfriend will be joining, Dalia promises to keep her secret, but realizes she may have one of her own.
For fans of amusement parks, road trips, and friendship.
Karthik Delivers by Sheela Chari
Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai by Debbi Michiko Florence
When Elliott breaks up with Jenna, she's convinced relationships are for suckers. Too bad she's competing against him for a journalism scholarship. Then there is Rin, a boy as stubborn as Jenna herself - & a mystery she cannot help but investigate.
For fans of dating, realistic fiction, and interpersonal relationships.
Crashing in Love by Jennifer Jacobson
Convinced that this will be the perfect summer, 12-year-old Peyton finds her life taking a dramatic detour when she becomes obsessed with finding the driver responsible for the hit-and-run accident that left a (cute) boy in a coma.
For fans of mysteries, detectives, and interpersonal relationships.
Weird Kid by Greg Van Eekhout
Jake Foster, a shapeshifting alien of goo disguised as a human, and his spunky friend Agnes investigate the mysterious takeover of their neighbors by "imblobsters" and uncover the reason Jake is losing control of his ability to keep his human shape.
For fans of adventure, aliens, Gordon Korman, and Stuart Gibb.
Stowaway by John David Anderson
When scientists discover a mysterious mineral buried in the Earth's crust, they have no idea that it's the most valuable substance in the universe. Soon, aliens appear, offering a promise of protection, new technology, & entry into their intergalactic coalition--in exchange for this precious resource, even if it means war. Homebound, Book 2 will be released August 23, 2022.
For fans of interplanetary voyages, aliens, and Emerson's Last Day on Mars.
Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
Inspired by Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Ana Dakkar, a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world, makes astounding discoveries about her heritage and puts her leadership skills to the test against deadly enemies from a rival school.
For fans of adventure, underwater exploration, and retellings.
The Great Bear by David Robertson
Sequel to The Barren Grounds. Eli and Morgan journey once more to Misewa, traveling back in time to meet a young fisher that might just be their lost friend. But the village is once again in peril. They must dig deep within themselves to find the strength to protect their beloved friends. The Stone Child, Book 3 is scheduled for release August 2, 2022.
The Burning Swift by Joseph Elliott
Shadow Skye, Book 3. Agatha, Jaime, and Sigrid must unite the people of Scotia and beyond as war comes to the Isle of Skye. But will betrayal and secrecy be their undoing? Three remarkable heroes unite for the grand conclusion of this rich and exciting series.
Phantoms by J.A. White
Shadow School, Book 3. Cordelia Liu and her friends must find out what happened to a team of ghost hunters who disappeared after capturing a dangerous phantom that can reanimate dead animals, in this conclusion to the Shadow School trilogy.
For fans of ghost stories, haunted places, and paranormal stories.
Wave by Diana Farid
ebook | audiobook (available 4/13)
Ava loves to surf and to sing. Singing and reading Rumi poems settle her mild OCD, and catching waves with her best friend, Phoenix, lets her fit in. With ocean-like rhythm and lyricism, Wave is about a girl who rides the waves, tumbles, and finds her way back to the shore.
For fans of historical fiction and surfing.
Booked by Kwame Alexander
ebook (available July 12)
Sequel to The Crossover, soccer, family, love, & friendship take center stage as Nick learns the power of words. He wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully & tries to impress the girl of his dreams.
For fans of soccer, graphic novels, and Alexander's original Crossover chapter book series.
Final Season by Tim Green
When his NFL dad is diagnosed with ALS, middle school quarterback Ben Redd is determined to have a winning season, which may be his final as he watches the heavy toll the incurable disease is taking on his dad.
For fans of football and Mike Lupica.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Petra Pena wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet & only a few hundred scientists & their children have been chosen to journey to a new planet.
For fans of science fiction, dystopian, and space travel.
Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens
Artie Irvin is thrilled to discover she comes from a line of werewolves, but as she dives into her family history and figures out her new abilities, vampires wait in the shadows
For fans of werewolves, graphic novels, and paranormal stories.
Salt Magic by Hope Larson
Vonceil Taggart, willing to risk everything to set things right, leaves her family's Oklahoma farm in 1919 seeking the salt witch who cast a spell that turned their spring to saltwater.
For fangs of fantasy, graphic novels, and historical fiction.
Getting Started with Sora
Click here to watch a tutorial video and learn all the basics of Sora-- how to log in, browse, and check out books. Also available en Espanol. You can also view our Getting Started with Sora flyers in English, Spanish, and French.
Questions? Contact DPS Library Services at libraryhelpdesk@dpsk12.org.
DOGOnews
Method Learning
NEW! ACT and SAT test prep solutions that are proven to raise scores! Tutoring, classes and practice tests. Available via Sora.
DPL Summer of Adventure
Youth from birth to 12th grade participate in the annual free Summer of Adventure program by reading, exploring and making their way through the summer. Learn more here.
Denver Public Schools Library Services
Email: libraryhelpdesk@dpsk12.org
Website: https://lion.dpsk12.org
Phone: 7204231842
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Twitter: @DPSLibraries
